Mt Kinabalu steps into Lonely Planet's book on world's most epic hikes

A visitor taking a photo of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah with his mobile phone.

PHOTO: The New Paper

PETALING JAYA - Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia's highest peak in the land below the wind, has been listed as one of the world's 50 most incredible hikes in Lonely Planet's new guidebook on hiking trails around the world.

In the newly-published Epic Hikes of the World, around 200 Lonely Planet writers collaborated to uncover 50 incredible hiking routes in 30 countries.

A sneak peek of the book by British-based website MailOnline revealed that Mount Kinabalu in Sabah was highlighted as one of the planet's most thrilling walking routes.

Other hiking trails in Asia that made the book includes the 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan, the Markha Valley in India, and the Gubeikou to Jinshanling on the Great Wall of China.

In Africa and the Middle East, Lonely Planet recommends Cape Town's Three Peaks in South Africa, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and the Camp to Camp in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park.

Some of the best European hiking trails named were Wordsworth's Backyard: Dove Cottage and around Rydal and Grasmere in the UK, the Alpine Pass Route in Switzerland and the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Closer to Asia, the Sydney's Seven Bridges Walk in Australia and the Routeburn Track in New Zealand were listed as the top hikes in Oceania.

Towering at 4,095m tall or 13,435 feet above sea level, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea.

It is Malaysia's first Unesco World Heritage Site and home to an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 plant species, 326 bird species, and over 100 mammal species.

The summit to Low's Peak is popular amongst travellers worldwide, with many seasoned hikers making the trip to Sabah specifically to accomplish the arduous trek.